Ghostly Appearance Of Courthouse Captured With Infrared Photograph
Ghostly Appearance Of Courthouse Captured With Infrared Photograph
Rodney Harvey, whose photography skills are well known, has now taken his hobby to the next level. With the purchase of a $1,000 camera Harvey can now take digital infrared photos. Although somewhat difficult to explain the basic information on infrared cameras and filters is that the camera allows infrared light to pass through into the camera but blocks all or most of the visible light. Because of this if you see an infrared camera or lens it will be black or a very dark red. Infrared photos are very different than normal photos. They are also black and white. Part of what adds so much to the images is the near ghostly appearance caused by the foliage in the photograph. Foliage reflects in the photograph the way snow appears in a typical black and white photo. Also adding to the photos is the fact that a clear sky will appear black with the clouds standing out very strongly. But by far the best way to get the true feeling of the photo is to see one in person.
Rodney explained more detail about his photography, “ Infrared is also used for forensics, so I had to enter into an agreement that I was only using the camera for fine arts photography. When I say forensics I mean that a photo shows such things as stains that might not be visible to the naked eye. But what immediately draws your attention in an infrared photograph is that any thing that is green and organic that reflects heat / radiation from the sun will glow like an almost frost. Clouds do the same thing as they reflect the light. A blue sky will be black because it’s cold and without reflecting any radiation / heat. I make the prints myself and have a pretty high quality printer, so I think I am turning out some pretty sharp and clear photographs.
Rodney has been in photography for more than twenty years having studied it in college in Virgina. Like everyone else he began in the film days and even did infrared film photography of some old houses back in the early 1990’s. Rodney got his camera last summer after trying infrared film , which was just too much hassle with chemicals and such. Rodney’s first photo for commercial sale is a striking picture of the Clark County Court House which is on display at the H.E. Sever Library in Kahoka. Rodney has also been commissioned through a grant by the library funded through funds left in honor of Rosemary Mohr to take 10 to 14 photographs which will be on display at the library in the future. Rodney is also available to do infrared photographs for individuals who have a home or scene that they belive would be unique, and he is listed in the Luray section of the phone book. Certainly having as much foliage as possible adds to the picture, but winter photos are still possible. Certainly a spring photograph with as much green as possible makes for the best photos with reflection. Prices of the photographs are available through Rodney and they can be priced for a print of his existing folder of photographs or priced if he is commissioned to go to a location by an individual. But regardless, the photos are very unique and almost ghostly in appearance.
